Special receptacles



June 1961 c. s. HASSELHOFF 2,989,176

SPECIAL RECEPTACLES Filed June 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY-S June 20, 1961 c. s. HASSELHOFF 2,939,176

SPECIAL RECEPTACLES Filed June 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MJW ATTORNEY United States Patent Filed June 11, 1958, Ser. No. 741,361 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to special receptacles and containers and more particularly to means for connecting a plurality of uniform relatively small items of commerce to be handled as units, and also for assembling the several units within a considerably larger container for shipment, storage or the like.

The general object of the invention is the provision of novel and'improved means for temporarily joining the sub-units and for assembling them within the larger package, which latter also possesses certain novel features.

' In its preferred embodiment the invention contemplates the provision of endless strap-like means of certain novel configuration for binding a series of articles such as cans, jars, bottles or the like, so as to be substantially rigidly connected together for handling as a single unit.

One particularly apt utilization of the invention occurs in the preparation of canned comestibles for shipping under refrigeration conditions, and the invention therefore contemplates the provision of a novel box or carton within which multiple sets of these frictionally united elements may be packed. The box or carton is so proportioned with reference to the combined units that space is provided preferably at the top thereof for containing cracked ice or other solid refrigerant.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a completely assembled package embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 through the package shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the external box or container is formed;

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective of an assembled unit comprising multiple elements frictionally secured together for inclusion in the general package illustrated in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the assemblage shown in FIGURE 5.

Although not strictly limited thereto, the invention finds a great utility in the packing and shipping of canned goods, and more particularly in the shipment of spoilable comestibles such as fresh oysters. Much traffic in these articles makes its way inland from Baltimore and other Eastern ports and refrigeration is required to keep the products fresh throughout their shipment for considerable distances by truck or rail.

In accordance with the provisions of the present invention a plurality of cans or other small receptacles containing the products to be shipped are assembled into units each consisting of six of the cans 10, as most clearly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawings.

For the purpose of uniting a number of the cans for easy handling as a unit, an encircling band or strap 12 is employed which is of an endless configuration and provides two enveloping loops, one within the other, the effectiveness of this arrangement residing at least partly in the fact that no more than two cans are in actual contact with each other, the several groups of two cans always being bounded by a portion of the strap. The strap is preferably of material having a somewhat frictional surface. Although the band or strap 12 could be made of metal, it is preferred that it be of fiber, tough impregnated cardboard, or other strong but flexible material.

Tracing the configuration of the band 12, we may begin with the outer end portion shown at 13 in FIGURES 5 and 6, and it will be seen that the band continues along the side of the assembled unit around the outer comer thereof as at 14 along a narrower side of the assembly as at 15, then around the next corner 16 and thence throughout the opposite long side of the assembly as shown at 17. From this point, the band rounds the corner 18, extends along the opposite short side as at 19, and thence around the final corner of the assembly as at 20. From this point, the band passes in contact with the initial end portion 13 as at 21, inwardly around one of the central units as at 22, and thence directly across the unit in parallelism with the stretches 15 and 13 as at 23. From this point, the band extends around one of the inner cans 10a for substantially of its angular extent, as indicated at 24. As it passes around the outer edge of the can 10a this inner loop of the band lies tangent to the stretch 17 of the outer loop as at 25. After rounding the margin of the can 10a, the inner loop extends along the stretch 26 parallel with the portions 19, 15 and 23 and terminates at 27 where it is in parallelism and in contact with the opposite end 13 and the intermediate portion 21, these three portions being secured together in any appropriate fashion as, for example, by means of the staples 30. The thickness of the band 40, as shown in the drawings, is considerably exaggerated for clarity of illustration.

The looped band, shaped and secured as above described, is susceptible of reuse many times, the individual cans being inserted endwise within the loops due to the flexibility of the band and the dimensioning thereof in accordance with the size of the units 10 involved. Also, it might be desirable to make the band of some slight stifincss whereby it offers a little resistance to bending when the cans are inserted, the resilience thus provided augmenting the frictional retention of the cans. With the cans thus frictionally secured together, they may be picked up and handled as a composite unit, the tension of the band and the friction between the cans and the several stretches of the band insuring that the cans will not fall out from their enclosure, even when the unit is supported by grasping one or more adjacent cans with the fingers of one hand, as will be readily understood from an understanding of the disclosure in the drawings and the fact that the cans are generally rather small ones in the canned oyster trade in which the invention has been found especially useful.

Several of these assembled units, comprising a number of individual cans and designated generally by the reference numeral 40, can be packed as shown most particularly in FIGURES 2 and 3 within a larger container which is indicated at 50.

The blank from which the container 50 is formed is shown at 50a in FIGURE 4 of the drawings and consists of a substantially rectangular piece of cardboard, corrugated board, or similar material. The material is scored longitudinally as at 51 and 52, and transversely as at 53 and 54 to form the bottom area 55, the side wall areas 56 and 57, and the end walls 58 and 59. The blank 50a is slotted as at 60 to separate the side and end wall areas from the partition forming flaps 61, these flaps being further scored as at 62 to divide the flaps 61 into the inner portion 63 and the partition forming outer portions 64.

In erecting the container 50 the end portions 58 and J 59 are folded vertically along the lines 53 and 54 and the flaps at each end of the device will also adopt an erect position. Then these flaps 61 are folded inwardly until the portions 63 are aligned with thebottomafold lines 51 and 52-,-and the partition: portions..64 are furtherfolded to extendacross thebottornarea 55,;overlappingv as best shown in :FIGURES 1 and 3 to be stapled. or otherwise securedtogether as at 67.

Then: the side panels56 and 57 are erected and stapled to the-panels 63 as at 68,.as clearly shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

There is thus formed a three-compartment containersuitably proportioned to snuglyreceive "a plurality of the multiple units 40.

As-best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings theheight of thei-container 50 is a little more than a multipleof the'height of the unit assemblies 40 sons to provide an upper space above the units .for theretention ofthe cracked ice or other refrigerant indicated' at 70.

With the units 40 inserted within the 'container50 'and packed-inthe ice as at 70, an extremely convenient spe cial-package is provided for the shipment ofsuch' perish able-comestibles as have been mentioned and all at a minimum of expense for labor and materials;

Various changesand modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and described herein Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new'and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A packaging arrangement for facilitating the handling and transport of cylindrical cans of canned goods with the fingers. said arrangement comprising a group of six ofsuch cans standing vertically and disposed in rectilinear as'opposed to staggered rows, there being three rows of two cans"each;'a continuous, endless, one-piece, narrow hand of non-elastic but stifily flexible material closely surrounding said group of cans but not drawn into tight 4, binding relation to the cans; said band consisting of two loops, a large continuous uninterrupted loop embracing all six of the cans as a unitary group and in direct contact with each of the four corner-occupying cans for approximately a quadrant of its circumference, and an inner loop enclosing the two inwardly disposedcans as a subgroup and in direct contact with said two last 'named cans for approximately half of 'their 2 circumferences; both loops being of a circumference predeterminedwith respect to the girth of the whole group of cans and that of the inner sub-group respectively, such that the cans may easily be pressed into the loops with aminimumaof effort, but securely held therein againstordinary. bending or shearing stress which wouldbe applieduto theipackage.

when handled by grasping. anyone of thevertically dispose cans of the group, saidband being considerably narrower than the height of said cans; portions of:.the inner loop outwardly of the two inner cans frictionally. contacting the intermediate-portions of the-'outer l0op; the terminals of the band occurring adjacent one of said contact ing areas, the terminals being disposed in overlapping relationship with each other and with an intermediate straight portion of the band which lies between said terminals and securing means being applied to said terminals and intervening band portion to fixedly and-permanently secure them together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,328,524 Knapp Jan. '20, 1920 1,703,495 MacChesney'; Feb. 26, 1929 1,808,922 Gallistel June 9, 1931. 2,071,303 Hill Feb; 16,1937 2,300,059 Perry Oct. 27, 1942 2,675,123 Baird Apr.l3, 1954 2,782,911 Fisher Feb; 26, 1957 2,788,894 Sh ifrer Apr. 16. 1957 2,891,664 Goyert'; June 23', 1959 

